Chess by Malcolm Pein of the Daily Telegraph
Malcolm Pein writes for the Daily Telegraph (telegraph.co.uk)
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Malcolm Pein on Russian Championships Rd 2 Morozevich vs. Dvoirys
The Sicilian is not doing well at the Russian Championships but the defeats for the most common answer to the King's Pawn 1.e4 in the games we have seen so far have been in the Open Sicilian.
Alexander Morozevich one of the world's most imaginative and aggressive players is known for his off-beat openings and in today's game, as is his custom, he eschews the main lines of the Open Sicilian with 1.e4.c5 2.Nf3 followed by 3.d4. However, his foxy move order with 2.Ne2 gives him the option of playing 3.d4 next move depending on Black's reply.
Had Dvoirys played a different second move Morozevich might just have gone 3.d4 but his opponent is a well known expert on the Sicilian Najdorf and played 2 . ..d6 which could lead to that line after 3.d4. So Morozevich offers him the Closed Sicilian with 3.g3. This often leads to a quieter game unsuited to his opponent's attacking instincts. Dvoirys' reply is ingenious. Having moved his 'd' pawn one square on the previous move he moves it again with 3. ..d5 and sets all kinds of new problems.
In the position after 1.e4 c5 2.g3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 White can play 4.Nf3 but now after 1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 d6 3 g3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 he would have to play the embarrassing 5.Rg1 and lose kingside castling rights. 4.Nc3 d4 is not very inspiring and 4.d3 dxe4 4.dxe4 Qxd1+ is at least equal for Black. So Morozevich comes up with a clever gambit, 1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 d6 3 g3.d5 4.Bg2!? dxe4 5.Nbc3 (5.Bxe4 Nf6 gains time for Black) now Black can try to cling onto the pawn with 5...f5 but after 6.d3! exd3 7.Nf4 there is plenty of compensation for the sacrificed pawn which is perhaps hardly surprising since Black has not moved any pieces and there is the threat of 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Nxg6
Dvoirys develops and the players reach a position where White has an Isolated Queen's Pawn. The general rule in this type of position is that if the pawn is blockaded it can become weak but if it can advance then it can release the attacking potential of the White pieces and this is the case here. If 19. ..h6 20.Qf3 exd5 21.Nxd5 Qd7 22.Qf6! gxf6 23.Nxf6 followed by Nxd7 discovered check and Nxc5. If 20. ..g6 21.dxe6 fxe6 22.Bxg6 Bxf2+ 23.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 24.Kxf2 hxg6 25.Rxe6. At first sight 23. ..Rc8 defends but after the calm 24.Kg2! Bxf2 25.Qxc8 Rxc8+ 26.Rxc8+ Kh7 27.Rh5+ wins. In the final position 27. ..Rxf7 28.Qxc8+ wins or 27. .. Kxf7 28.Qh7+ Bg7 28.Rf5+ wins
Morozevich,A (2679) - Dvoirys,S (2555) [B20]
56th ch-RUS Krasnoyarsk RUS (2), 04.09.2003
1.e4 c5 2.Ne2 With the option of playing 3.d4 depending on black's reply. 2...d6 3.g3 Offering the Closed Sicilian. 3...d5!? Setting new problems. In the position after 1.e4 c5 2.g3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 White can play 4.Nf3 but now after 1. e4 c5 2. Ne2 d6 3 g3 d5 4.exd5 Qxd5 he would have to play the embarrassing 5.Rg1 and lose kingside castling rights. 4.Bg2 [ 4.Nec3 d4 is not very inspiring.; 4.d3 dxe4 5.dxe4 Qxd1+ 6.Kxd1 is at least equal for Black.] 4...dxe4 5.Nbc3 A clever Gambit. [ 5.Bxe4 Nf6 gains time for black.] 5...Nf6 [ Black can try to cling on to the pawn with 5...f5 but after 6.d3 exd3 7.Nf4 there is plenty of compensation for the sacrificed pawn which is perhaps hardly surprising since Black has not moved any pieces and there is the threat of 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Nxg6.] 6.Nxe4 Nxe4 7.Bxe4 Nc6 8.d3 Bd7 9.0-0 e6 10.c3 Be7 11.a3 Qc7 12.d4 cxd4 13.cxd4 Dvoirys has developed and the players have reached a position where White has an Isolated Queen's Pawn. The general rule in this type of position is that if the pawn is blockaded it can become weak but if it can advance then it can release the attacking potential of the White pieces and this is the case here. 13...0-0 14.Nf4 Rad8 15.d5 Ne5 16.Bd2 Bb5 17.Re1 Bc5 18.Rc1 Nc4 19.Bc3 Qb6 [ If 19...h6 20.Qf3 exd5 21.Nxd5 Qd7 22.Qf6 gxf6 23.Nxf6+ followed by Nxd7 discovered check and Nxc5.] 20.Qc2 e5 [ If 20...g6 21.dxe6 fxe6 22.Bxg6 Bxf2+ 23.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 24.Kxf2 hxg6 25.Rxe6] 21.Bxh7+ Kh8 22.Bxe5 Nxe5 23.Rxe5 Rc8
At first sight this defends but after the calm 24.Kg2! g6 [ 24...Bxf2 25.Qxc8 Rxc8 26.Rxc8+ Kxh7 27.Rh5+ wins.] 25.Bxg6 Bd4 26.Rh5+ Kg8 27.Bxf7+
In the final position 27. ...Rxf7 28.Qxc8+ wins or 27. .. Kxf7 28.Qh7+ Bg7 28.Rf5+ wins. 1-0